Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy

The mission of the philosophy program is to use its faculty’s collective expertise and experience in the various philosophical disciplines to teach philosophy with the intention of enabling its students to become effective, self-critical leaders able to empower others, to solve problems in diverse social and professional settings, and to experience satisfactions that can only come from living the examined life. To serve this mission, the philosophy program is committed to providing courses that: foster ethical understanding, analytical reading, logical thinking, and clear expression in our students; illuminate the assumptions, methods, and foundations of other disciplines for students who also major or minor in philosophy; acquaint students with paradigms and perspectives from past philosophies that provide recurring thought patterns whose strengths and weaknesses an autonomous individual should know; prepare students to deal with problems for which there are neither simple nor obvious solutions; equip students for graduate and professional study in fields such as law, government service, management medicine, the ministry, and philosophy. The philosophy program is to aid students to draw out from within themselves the assumptions and beliefs—often unconsciously but nonetheless deeply felt and held—governing their thoughts and actions, to express these inner convictions fully and clearly, and to subject them to critical analysis. This is the birth into the examined life. It is also the first step toward awakening in the students the spirit of critical inquiry, encouraging them to question readily accepted ideas, to probe for and to expose all assumptions, and to subject all claims and all issues—personal or public, local or international—to close examination. Philosophy lays bare fundamental questions and instructs students in the methods for grappling with them. As students develop, they see how ideas drive the phenomena of daily life. Philosophy calls students to the responsibility of putting all ideas to the test to know their value.